The Right Place
Sitting close up is Holly. Can you guess who the faded cat in the left top corner is? Introduction Hey, Ivyheart here. I'm making another story, this one is going to be about a young cat trying to find the best place for her to be. I'm sure we can all relate to this one, such as finding a new school, house, etc. Hope you enjoy this one! Before-Story Holly, a young loner she-cat, is suddenly left alone when her mother dies as a victim of a speeding monster. Her mother's last words are Holly's last bit of hope to not drown in solitude for the rest of her life. On her own, she journeys over the hills, through the thick forests, rivers, and moors to find the home for her. Only determination can keep her up and going. Will she ever find the right place for her to be? Prologue "We can't have more cats in this house, Sam. We should have taken Leah to the vet a long ''time ago to avoid this!" a female twoleg shouted, staring with anger and distraught at a little dark gray she-cat in a basket. She had four kits curled at her side. The male twoleg, Sam, narrowed his eyes. "Don't look at the cat that way. It's not her fault. Just blame me. We can give this kittens to the pet store around the corner tomorrow," he said calmly, stroking Leah's fur. His eyes were focused on the tiny kittens. A white, a gray and white, and a black one. The female took one last angry glance at the male twoleg and headed off in another direction. "These kits will be gone by ''tonight," ''she muttered with frustration to herself. When the moon fully arose in the middle of the night and her family was asleep, the female twoleg grabbed the basket. "Leah, you're going too, fleabag," she murmured as she walked into a small forest that edged her yard. The twoleg dropped the basket beside a tree. For a minute, she rested her gaze softly on the basket, but her eyes only hardened, and she walked away, not taking a glance back at the basket holding the cat and her kits. The twoleg crept into her den, not even casting a thought about the cats she had just abandoned. Chapter 1: Alone "Mama?" the little gray and white she-cat squealed, glancing at the dark gray queen laying still on the road. She crept over to her when she didn't hear a response. The dark gray mother looked up at her kit feebly. "My dear Holly," she murmured to her kit. "I cannot go on anymore. Go and find a place for you to live, where you will not be lonely." Holly looked at her mother with distraught. "No, Mama! I can't leave without you. Don't go, please!" she meowed desperatly. But the queen, Leah, only placed her bloody paw onto her kit's for a moment, and started closing her eyes. "Goodbye, my sweet. It is time for me to walk in the stars with your littermates." The dark gray loner's body jerked once, and was soon still. The patched she-cat gently placed a paw on her she-cat's flank, hoping to feel one last beat of her mother's heart. But of course, she felt nothing but coldness. Holly was soon left alone, her fur ruffling in the wind. She still stood, not making any movement. She was left speechless, on the street, looking down at her mother. Not a sound escaped her mouth. Suddenly, a rumble in the distance sounded in her ears. It came closer, and with realization she realized it was one of the things that had hit her mother. With a gasp, she sprang to the side of the road, tumbling into a prickley green bush. From the bush, she watched with horror as it zoomed by, running over her mother once more. Her mouth gaped open, and she stared at the cat who had once raised her. ''How can I go on without you? The amber eyed she-cat miserably curled up in the bush, covering her little paws over her eyes with dismay, and soon fell asleep with a deep pain in her heart. It was early morning when Holly awoke, and stepped out of the bush. Her mother's words echoed in her ears. "I cannot go on anymore. Go find a place for you to live, where you will not be lonely."' Holly thought for a moment, and blinked calmly. "I'm eight moons, I can travel alone, right?" she said to herself, looking around the quiet and empty clearing. The she-cat started to pad forward, then went off towards a direction full of trees. She wasn't sure where exactly she was going, but the she-cat knew that somewhere she would find a place full of cats, where she wouldn't be lonely. Like her mother said. Why did my mother say that? Holly thought curiously as she walked onward. The gray and white cat shook her head and went on. Suddenly the she-cat's gray ears perked, and her eyes grew wide. A strong, unpleasant smell came across her nose. It was a cat! The gray and white cat unstheathed her claws and constantly looked around, trying to find where the cat scent was coming from. But before she could come to her conclusion, a paw thwacked the side of her face. Holly's head throbbed. "Ouch!" she hissed, and spun around to face a brown tabby tom. His green eyes glared into hers. "What are you doing ''on my territory?" he spat, the tom's tail lashing back and forth. The young cat did not know what to say or do. "I didn't know this area was yours. I was just-" With a growl he leaped onto her, claws unsheathed. With a gasp she had been thrown to the ground. The tabby tom pushed her to the side. "''Stay ''on this side of the border. Understand?" he muttered, and whipped his broad head around and stomped away. Holly whimpered softly, and she licked her wounds. How could she find a place where she wouldn't be lonely if all of these cats were hostile and unwelcoming? Chapter 2: Journey's Begin Rain sprinkled down gentley from the clouds in the dark blue sky. The gray and white she-cat panted heavily as she crawled up a slippery, tall hill. Step by step, she finally reached the top. Holly sat down, and looked at the view below her, letting out a big sigh of relief. The she-cat curled her tail around her paws, and continued gazing at the landscape. "I never knew the world could be this big," Holly murmured silently, flicking her tail slightly. Her gaze traveled towards the fareaway forest, and she tilted her head, deep in thought. She focused her gaze on the thick trees, as if trying to point out any living things roaming there. ''I wonder if there are any cats down there, she thought. She slowly got up to her paws, and walked down the hill, feeling hopeful. This could be it. It seemed to be forever until she was at least a decent distance away from the peaceful forest. Holly some how kept her self going, despite the cold and groggy weather. Maybe it was determination, or her devotion to her mother's final words. It could be both. Whatever this was, the she-cat had her head held high. Rabbit! The she-cat could smell the prey close by. Holly was hungry, she hadn't eaten since very early this morning, and the sun had brightly been up for a while now. I know how to hunt, she thought with determination. The she-cat crouched, and narrowed her eyes, and glanced at the rabbit. She crept forward, and lunged at the small creature, but it was too late. The rabbit was to fast for her. "No!" Holly spat angerly, unsheathing her claws. With frustration, the gray and white continued on, hopefully going to a place with more prey. As soon as Holly felt as if she could barely pull on anymore, she came face to face with the entrance of the deep forest. She sniffed, but no scent of any cat came to her nose. There must be some in there, the she-cat thought, and padded into the trees. Soon she came across a wide, light blue river. Holly frantically looked around, trying to see a away around it. As far as she looked, the only way seemed to be was crossing the river. With a deep breath, she plunged into the icey water, and paddled across. It seemed endless, and it seemed with every stroke she took she was getting father and farther from the shore. Almost there... she thought, kicking her hind legs ferociously. Soon, she reached the shore, and threw her paws onto the edge, claws unsheathed. Holly heaved herself up, breathing heavily. She got up and sat down for a rest. Suddenly a scent came across her nose. Cat? A black she-cat jumped out of a bush. "Oh my! Did you just swim across the river? You have true talent. You should join Cats of Water!" she meowed with excitement. Holly, startled, took a step back. "What?" she meowed. "What's Cats of Water?" The she-cat came closer to her, and started to explain. "Well, we're a group of cats who all live by this river." Holly nodded, interested. Wait, was this what my mother told me about? To not be lonely? "Take me to these cats," the gray and white she-cat meowed. The black she-cat nodded happily, and whisked off, Holly following. Maybe this was the right place? Chapter 3: Fishing Lesson Eyes were all fixed upon Holly as she and the black she-cat came upon their base. It seemed very disorganized. All of the members of the Cats of Water seemed to be crammed in one cave-like hole beside a hill, that ran beside the long river she had to cross. "Here we are. I'll bring Jack, our leader. I'm Minnow, by the way," the black she-cat meowed, and hurried into the crammed den. Holly sat outside, examining the area that seemed to be their territory. A few younger cats sat by the river, playing with fish bones. They seemed her age, maybe younger. "Shira, don't chew on them, they'll break! I wanted to put them in my collection," an white tom with a black circle around his eye hissed. The she-cat who was chewing on the bone, Shira, got up with guilt. She pushed the bones over to the white tom. Holly turned around, feeling some cats walking toward her. Soon she realized it was Minnow, who came back out with a big brown and black tom. The big tom, who must have been Jack, spoke loudly to her. "I am Jack, the leader. Do you wish to become apart of Cats of Water?" he meowed, his narrowed gaze fixed on Holly. The patched she-cat looked up at him, returning the glare. "Yes, I do" she muttered, lashing her gray and white tail back and forth nervously. Jack seemed please as he spoke. "Welcome. I'm sure Minnow will show you around, then." Then he was gone, back into the den. Holly didn't speak. He doesn't even assess me on my skills? Or see if I am trustworthy, and not evil? she thought, confused. Oh well. It was easy to get in, that was what seemed to matter. At least she wasn't alone The she-cat remembered her mother, and her gaze hardened with sadness. She her mother's warm, soft fur and kind personality. But that was all gone. Leah was dead now, walking in the stars with her deceased littermates who she had barely gotten to know. Minnow nodded. "Follow me," she called as she leaped around the corner. Holly ran to keep up with her. "And, this is the river of course. You know, we love swimming, and hunting for fish, and splashing each other and playing!" she said, squealing like an excited kit. Her eyes shined brightly. Holly murmured, "I see." The she-loner felt exhausted after Minnow's tour. They had gone to every possible place they could have gone, and Minnow was always full of energy and wanted to run everywhere. Sure, the she-cat was nice, but Minnow was almost too nice. It got on Holly's nerves deeply, but deep down she knew it meant that the black she-cat was only caring about her. Besides, Minnow made her feel valued to the Cats of Water and welcome there, even on her first day. The black she-cat spoke. "Wanna try hunting? I'll teach you. Then we'll go hunting all the time together. It'll be fun. So, how 'bout it?" Minnow put her single white paw forward. Holly shrugged, and gave a small nod. "Sure, why not?" And so, together they went off to the river. "Now, just lash out your paw, like this! It's easy. Just don't go to far over the water. The fish will see you!" she meowed. Her normally bright eyes grew stern and serious as she focused them on the surface of the water. Suddenly, she lashed out her single white paw and caught a small fish. She quickly bit into it. "Now, how's that one?" she meowed cheerfully, placing it beside her. "You try!" Holly looked at the water intently, like Minnow had. Finally, she saw a big fish swimming close to the surface. Without hesitation, she threw her paw in the water, and grabbed the fish with her claws, but the silver creature slipped out of her paws. "No!" she hissed. Minnow flicked her tail, and her eyes showed sympathy. "It's ok. I didn't catch my fish the first time either! It takes time," she meowed. Minnow continued talking. "Now, lets go back. It's getting late." Holly nodded, and the two went back to the den. Category:Warrior Cat Fanfic Category:Fanfic Category:Ivyheart's Fanfic